Guide-1-Resource-Assessment-Brainstorming-Ideas- Guide-1-Resource-Assessment-Brainstorming-Ideas- | Page 3

[E-­‐  BAZAAR  GUIDE  1  ]   1                             Introduction     Now  it’s  time  for  you  to  start  thinking  about  your  business   idea!  We  will  think  about  what  kind  of  resources   your  school  already  has  and  how  you  could  use  those  resources  to  start  a  business.  When  you  have  finished   these  activities  you  will  be  able  to  fill  in  Section  C  on  your    Business  Idea  Template.       1.      Conducting  a  Resource  Assessment   A  resource  assessment  allows  you  to   identify  the  resources  that  your  school  already  has  available,   and   students’  capacity  to  run  a  business.  By  thinking  about  what  items  and  skills  are  already  at  your  school,  you   may  find  you  come  up  with  ideas  for  businesses  that  you  can  start  with  little  or  no  money.  This  means  that  all   of  the  money  you  make  will  be  profit!     Case  Study:  Rock  Community  School,  Uganda.     Students  at   Rock  Community  School   in   Uganda   had  little  spare  capital  to   start  a  school  enterprise,  so  they  had  to  use  resources  they  had  freely   available.  They  used  reeds  from  their  local  swamp  to  make  baskets,  mats   and  purses!  With  their  profits,  the  school  have  been  able  to  purchase   school  books  and  uniforms  for  several  orphaned  students.     A  resource  assessment  also  allows  you  to  think  about  what  skills  you  already  have  that  you  can  use  to  make   the  business  successful.     Case  Study:  Beaconhouse  School  North  Nazimabad,  Pakistan     Through  their  resource  assessment,   Beaconhouse  School   in   Pakistan   identified   that  their  students  had  skills  in  Art  and  event  organisation.  The  school  now  run   a  party  planning  business,  organising  birthday  parties  for  students  at  the   school.  They  also  charge  for  extra  services  such  as  henna  painting  and  face   painting,  which  are  done  by  artistic  students  in  the  group.     A  resource  assessment  is  important  because:     1. It  helps  to  identify  what  resources  you  already  have  and  can  use  for  free!   2. It  can  give  you  ideas  for  your  business!   3. The  results  can  help  you  to  keep  your  business  start-­‐up  costs  low  (and  therefore  help  you  to  make  a   bigger  profit!)     It   is   easy   to   complete   a   resource   assessment!   Below   you   will   find   a   Resource   Assessment   Template   already  filled  in  with  our  ‘Proactive  School’  information  as  an  example.   You  will  then  be  able  to  work   through    your  own  Resource  Assessment.  A  blank  Resource  Assessment  Template  can  be  found  in   the       Appendix    section  at  the  end  of  this  guide.       Page  |  1